Lucky Nugget’s Guide To Casino Etiquette

Casinos have the potential to be confusing, especially for first-time gamers. Regardless of how much time you spend playing on your mobile, the bright lights of the big city have the potential to throw you off your game. If the large, open rooms crowded with gamers doesn’t throw you off, then the cameras watching your every move certainly will. The sad thing casinos don’t really advertise their regulations and instead work off a code of unwritten rules; obligations you’re expected to carry out without being told.

We’re going to prepare you for your big trip to Vegas, or wherever you might be going. Let’s take a look at the unwritten rules of land-based casinos!

The Basics

21 is the magic number!

You’ve got to be 21 to play at the casino. It’s a bad idea to drag your child in with you for a whole host of reasons, but ultimately it’s you who’s breaking the law and not them. If you’re planning a big trip to Vegas, leave the kids at home. Get a baby sitter, or go somewhere you’ll all enjoy.

Leave the electronic appliances in your room!

It’s bad etiquette to have your phone out at the dinner table; never mind at the blackjack table! No electronic devices can be used when seated at the table, period. Anything, from mobile phones to digital cameras, have to be left in your hotel room. Not only are casinos suspicious of cheats, it slows down play when someone is halfway through a game of Angry Birds. You won’t be able to get a signal anyway as the casino’s walls are too thick, so don’t even bother bringing them down.

No smoking!

Unfortunately, for those of us who like the occasional cigarette, there’s a strict no-smoking policy in place at most established casinos. In Las Vegas, you’ll be hard-pushed to find somewhere which allows you to smoke at the table. Firstly, it’s not pleasant for other players, but it also has the potential to obstruct the dealer’s view. There’s a good chance you’ll get kicked out for it, so it’s best to smoke outside, away from casino grounds.

Joining Games and General Manners

The vast majority of casinos offer blackjack, baccarat, roulette and slot games. There’s a good chance that in addition to all of this, they’ll host keno, poker, bingo, sports betting and more. If you’d rather stay away from all the stringent rules, we advise you stick with video poker, slots and roulette, as you only have to deal with the dealer in these games.

Ask questions before you head out to Vegas

Before you head to Vegas, or wherever you might be travelling to, we advise you try out the tables at a regular down-town casino. Sit down, get a sense of the order of play and how the dealer interacts. There’s nothing worse than someone who joins a table without knowing the rules. If you have any questions, it’s best to ask them now, or get to know people when playing casino online, rather than at Caesar’s Place in-front of bunch of circuit blackjack players. You might get away with asking a few questions during down-time at the more established casinos, but at peak-time you have no chance. So, as we said, ask the questions to down-town casino dealers and look like an expert at the Bellagio.

Check table limits before sitting down

It’s 9pm on a Friday evening, one of the busiest periods a dealer has to suffer through. You’ve sat down at a fairly busy table – you saw a seat and thought, ‘yeah, why not.’ The dealer has finished the previous round and is requesting bets. You drop a $10 token down and smile, ‘time to rock this joint’ you’re thinking. The overly-tanned guy who obviously used a whole bottle of cologne smirks, the dealer looks annoyed, he points to the placard on the table – Minimum Bet: $25,000. You don’t even make that in a year. Honestly, if you’re about to join a table, check the minimum bet. Dealers hate the embarrassment and other players get annoyed at the wait.

Tipping

Last but not least, tipping. Dealers are paid pathetically and really do expect to be paid when you’re on a winning streak. It’s not necessary, of course, but it’s heavily frowned upon if you don’t tip. Some would say 10% is a fair tip, but this is very generous on your part. It might just be best if you slip them a chip, or $5 for their service; most dealers would appreciate that. If you do this halfway through play, it can turn a tense situation into a relaxing one, as the dealer feels comfortable and so do you. Cocktail waitresses will expect $1 for every drink brought, whilst valets will expect a 2 to 3 dollar tip.

Have we covered everything you need to know? Let us know in the comments section below. Good luck at the casino from the Lucky Nugget team!

There is never a bad time to brush up on your gaming strategy. Lucky Nugget’s in-house gaming experts have designed three exclusive guides based on proven gaming strategy and your important feedback. Our experts have been on the strong coffee and trawled through reams of data in the attempt to get these gaming guides to you.